1. READERS’ PARTICIPATION AND ITSREADERS’ PARTICIPATION AND ITS
RULES.RULES.
A CASE STUDY OF LETTERS-TO-THE-A CASE STUDY OF LETTERS-TO-THE-
EDITOREDITOR
IN TWO PORTUGUESE NEWSPAPERSIN TWO PORTUGUESE NEWSPAPERS
Marisa Torres da Silva
July 2007
IAMCR, Paris

2. Letters to the editorLetters to the editor
• The most ancient forum for public
debate since the arrival of press as a
mass media.
• The first letter to editor was published
in the NY Times, in September 18th,
1851.
• It is a means by which readers talk with
the newspaper, in the newspaper and
about the newspaper.

3. Four rules for selection of lettersFour rules for selection of letters
(Wahl-Jorgensen, 1999)(Wahl-Jorgensen, 1999)
• Relevance
• Entertainment
• Brevity
• Authority

4. Consequences of these rules inConsequences of these rules in
the letters’ sectionthe letters’ section
• Editors create the debate flourishing in
the letters section.
• The selection rules show that
rationality, coherence and writing
accuracy are essential.

5. Methodology andMethodology and
newspapers chosennewspapers chosen
Participant observation in
Público and Diário de Notícias
(both with a circulation around
60.000)

6. Our study:Our study:
main rules of selectionmain rules of selection
• “Reactive” letters
• Social status of the letter-writer
• Quality of expression
• Editor’s preferences and inclinations
• The “insane” letters’ writers

7. Concluding remarksConcluding remarks
• The public debate that occurs in the
letters’ section is a construction of
selected voices and opinions.
• Most of these criteria are intimately
related to the journalistic routines and
practices.
• Editors use an “idiom of insanity”.